Appendix 1

Sites Consultation Local Plan Part 2 October 2017

Regeneration, Enterprise & Planning Northampton Borough Council, The Guildhall, St Giles Square Northampton NN1 1DE 0300 330 7000 www.northampton.gov.uk Contents

Introduction............................................................................................................................................4 What is the Local Plan Part 2? ............................................................................................................4 The purpose of the Sites Consultation ...............................................................................................4 What has been done so far? ...............................................................................................................4 This Consultation ....................................................................................................................................5 How to respond ......................................................................................................................................6 The Planning Context..............................................................................................................................6 Previous Consultation on the Local Plan Part 2 ..................................................................................6 Housing...............................................................................................................................................7 Employment .......................................................................................................................................9 Consultation Questions ........................................................................................................................10 Northampton Local Plan Part 2 - Sites Consultation

Introduction

What is the Local Plan Part 2?

1.1 The Council is preparing the second part of the Local Plan. The Local Plan Part 2 will help to deliver the strategy set out in the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy, which is Part 1 of the Local Plan for Northampton, Daventry and South Northamptonshire.

1.2 The Local Plan Part 2 will address the supply of sites in the Borough to deliver more homes, maintain and expand employment opportunities, enhance the Town Centre, protect the historic and natural environment, and provide detailed development management policies for the Borough as a whole.

1.3 These policies will be used to determine planning applications for new development and identify sites where new development should go to meet the requirements set out in Part 1 of the Local Plan up to 2029.

The purpose of the Sites Consultation

1.4 The purpose of this consultation is to gather views on the potential future uses of sites to deliver the strategy and development required in Part 1 of the Local Plan. Any views will be considered alongside further work before deciding what goes into the Draft Local Plan Part 2. The Draft Plan will be subject to further consultation prior to a formal examination hearing.

1.5 In order to meet the development requirements set out in Part 1 of the Local Plan, the Local Plan Part 2 will need to allocate sites for development, including land for housing. This is the first public consultation that sets out a list of sites to be considered for further investigation in preparing the Local Plan Part 2.

1.6 The list contains sites that were submitted to the Council by land owners and developers, and for completeness includes council owned sites. It is important that all site options are explored for accommodating future development at this stage.

1.7 It should be noted that no decisions have been made about any of the sites mentioned in this consultation, and that all consultation responses will be taken into account when we draw up a more detailed draft plan for the next stage of the consultation process.

What has been done so far?

1.8 The Sites Consultation follows on from two rounds of consultation carried out in 2016 in which views were sought on the issues to be addressed in the Local Plan Part 2 and the options for how they might be dealt with in the Local Plan Part 2. These represented the first two stages in the process for producing the Local Plan Part 2 and provided the community of Northampton and other stakeholders with the opportunity to suggest any issues that they felt should be addressed and to comment on the options they thought were most appropriate.

1.9 The Local Plan Part 2 process is set out below. This Consultation

2.1 This document has been prepared following a review and update of the Council’s background evidence, consideration of responses to the Issues and Options consultations and having regard to national policy and best practice guidance.

2.2 Appendix A is a list of sites that have been assessed as being suitable for further consideration in preparing the Local Plan Part 2. Appendix B is a list of sites that have been assessed as not being suitable for further consideration. 2.3 It is important to note that the inclusion of sites in this consultation does not mean that they will be considered appropriate for development in the Local Plan Part 2. Comments received during this consultation and further work will be required before any decisions are made about what will go into the Draft Plan.

2.4 The purpose of this exercise is to help assess whether or not sites are worthy of further consideration. We would therefore like your views on the on the potential future uses of these sites, including which sites would be most appropriate for development, which sites would be least appropriate for development, and which sites should be protected? The Council also wants to know if there are any other sites that have not been included in this consultation which should be considered in the preparation of the Local Plan Part 2 (Call for Sites).

2.5 A series of Consultation Questions are at the end of this document. Please use the Councils online response form to respond to this consultation.

How to respond 3.1 The best way to have your say is at www.northampton.gov.uk/localplan.

3.2 If you are unable to comment online, you can also:

- Email planningpolicy@northampton.gov.uk
- Write to: Planning Policy, Northampton Borough Council, The Guildhall, St Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE

3.3 The deadline for responses is 5pm on Monday 13 November 2017.

The Planning Context Previous Consultation on the Local Plan Part 2 4.1 Comments on the issues consultation showed a general consensus on the need to identify sufficient housing sites in the Local Plan Part 2 to reach the Joint Core Strategy target of 18,870 net additional dwellings in Northampton from 2011-2029 as part of a wider strategy for the whole of the wider Northampton Related Development Area involving co-operation with Daventry District Council and South Northamptonshire Council.

4.2 Comments were also raised about the need to identify a demonstrable five year housing land supply and the need for flexible policies to kickstart housing delivery. There was also a comment that many new homes are likely to be delivered on small- and medium-sized sites and that the Local Plan needs to identify a range of such sites. This has been taken into account in this consultation document.

4.3 A number of sites not currently allocated for employment were suggested in comments as being suitable for employment. Some of these have been actively promoted for employment. Most of the comments on the issues consultation relate more to matters that will need to be considered in relation to the next stage of Local Plan consultation. 4.4 A number of responses to the Options Consultation supported the assurance that the Local Plan Part 2 would explore reasonable options to provide land to accommodate new homes, employment and other types of land use supporting growth.

4.5 Details of the responses received to the Issues and Options consultations are set out on the Council’s website http://www.northampton.gov.uk/info/200205/planning-for-the-future/2199/northampton-local-plan-part-2-issues-and-options-consultation

Housing

4.6 Part 1 of the Local Plan (The West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy 2014) has set the housing requirement for Northampton at 18,870 new homes from 2011 to 2029, with a trajectory for the rate at which they should be completed. Table 1 sets out the trajectory in Part 1 of the Local Plan and yearly housing completions to date. Table 1 - Housing trajectory for Northampton set out in the West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy, December 2014

| Year | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | |------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Core Strategy requirement for Northampton | | | | | | | | | | | | Annual | 423 | 516 | 785 | 1,039 | 1,132 | 1,292 | 1,426 | 1,544 | 1,588 | 1,491 | | Cumulative (a) | 423 | 939 | 1,724 | 2,763 | 3,895 | 5,187 | 6,613 | 8,157 | 9,745 | 11,236 | | Completions | | | | | | | | | | | | Annual | 423 | 516 | 834 | 877 | 739 | 884 | | | | | | Cumulative (b) | 423 | 939 | 1,773 | 2,650 | 3,389 | 4,273 | | | | | | Difference between (a) and (b) | 0 | 0 | +49 | -113 | -506 | -914 | | | | |

| Year | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 | |------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------| | Core Strategy requirement for Northampton | | | | | | | | | | Annual | 1,355 | 1,278 | 1,025 | 900 | 875 | 815 | 695 | 694 | | Cumulative (a) | 12,591 | 13,869 | 14,894 | 15,794 | 16,669 | 17,484 | 18,179 | 18,873 | | Completions | | | | | | | | | | Annual | | | | | | | | | | Cumulative (b) | | | | | | | | | | Difference between (a) and (b) | | | | | | | | | 4.7 Part 1 of the Local Plan has already allocated a series of Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUEs) around the edge of Northampton. Some of these are entirely within Northampton Borough and others fall within the boundaries of Daventry District Council and South Northamptonshire Council. Because these SUEs are already allocated in Part 1 of the Local Plan, it will not be necessary to allocate them in the Local Plan Part 2, so this consultation does not reconsider these sites.

4.8 Whilst the Local Plan Part 2 has to seek to meet the housing requirement in Part 1 of the Local Plan, it does not have to identify every single site that will come forward over the plan period. It only has to identify those that are key to the delivery of its strategy. This consultation only considers sites that are considered able to accommodate five or more dwellings as it is not intended to allocate smaller sites.

4.9 Even though not all sites have to be specifically identified, the Council will need to demonstrate, through its evidence that it has made a robust assessment of the sources of the supply of housing land that will come forward to meet its housing target. The Land Availability Assessment sets out the Council’s technical assessment based on information submitted so far. This may need to be reviewed and updated before we publish the draft Local Plan Part 2.

4.10 Table 2 below sets out how many homes have been built in Northampton since 2011; how many are currently under construction; how many have planning permission; and how many have been allocated in Part 1 of the Local Plan. It also shows how many houses are expected to be built on windfall sites. The capacity for new housing identified in the Land Availability Assessment on sites without planning permission is also included. This figure of 4,350 houses is comprised of the sites considered suitable for further investigation in Appendix A.

4.11 Taking into account the number of houses completed, with planning permission, and allocated in the Local Plan Part 1, leaves a balance of 3,033 against the target of 18,870 houses in Part 1 of the Local Plan. However, it is important to note that not all sites with planning permission or allocated will be delivered before 2029. Further work will need to be done on the timing and rates of delivery, particularly on large sites, to establish the amount of houses that the Local Plan (Part 2) will need to plan for.

4.12 The Land Availability Assessment indicates that beyond what has already got planning permission or is allocated in Part 1 of the Local Plan, there is sufficient land to accommodate a further 4,350 homes. Taking this into account and the potential windfall allowance of 2,400 houses, there could be sufficient land available to meet the target of 18,870 in Part 1 of the Local Plan.

4.13 Sites for housing in Northampton that the Council considers should be investigated further in preparation for the Local Plan Part 2 are set out in Appendix A. Sufficient sites without planning permission have been identified in the Council’s Land Availability Assessment to accommodate an estimated 4,350 dwellings. Table 2 – Existing completions and commitments

| Dwellings | |------------------------------------------------| | Completions, 2011 to 2017 | 4,273 | | Under construction | 368 | | With full planning permission but not yet | 2,109 | | started | | With outline permission (includes Sustainable | 4,522 | | Urban Extensions allocated in the joint Core | | Strategy) | | Allocated in the Joint Core Strategy, but | 4,565 | | without outline planning permission | | Windfall allowance (2017 -2029) | 2,400 | | LAA sites without planning permission | 4,350 | | Total | 22,587|

Employment

4.14 The Local Plan has to ensure that there is sufficient land available for employment uses (offices, industry and warehousing) and ensure that land allocated for those uses is still appropriate for those uses. The employment requirement set out in Part 1 of the Local Plan is 28,000 net additional jobs from 2008 to 2029. This is not split between the three constituent council areas, but evidence across West Northamptonshire indicates that there are broadly sufficient reserves across that area allowing for the allocation of strategic sites that will serve Northampton, such as the proposed business park at Junction 16 of the M1, just outside the borough. It is important, however, that changes in the amount of employment land are closely monitored and that existing employment land is protected and not lost to other uses unless it is no longer viable for employment generating activities. This is reflected in Part 1 of the Local Plan.

4.15 The Local Plan Part 2 only has to identify those employment sites that are key to the delivery of its strategy. Sites of less than 0.25 hectares have not been considered.

4.16 Even though not all sites have to be specifically identified, the Council will need to demonstrate, through its evidence, that it has made a robust assessment of the sources of supply of employment land that will come forward to meet its requirement for employment land. The Land Availability Assessment sets out the Council’s technical assessment based on information submitted so far. This may need to be reviewed and updated before we publish the proposed submission version of the Local Plan Part 2. Consultation Questions

Please use the online response form (see above for details)

1. Which sites that have been assessed as being suitable for further consideration (Appendix A) do you think are most appropriate for development?

   Please state site number(s) – e.g LAA0999

   Please tell us why you think these sites are most appropriate

2. Which sites that have been assessed as being suitable for further consideration (Appendix A) do you think are least appropriate for development?

   Please state site number(s) – e.g LAA0999

   Please tell us why you think these sites are least appropriate

3. Which sites do you think should be protected?

   Please state site number(s) – e.g LAA0999

   Please tell us why you think these sites should be protected

4. Are there any sites that have been assessed as not being suitable for further consideration (Appendix B) that should be?

   Please state site number(s) – e.g LAA0999

   Please tell us why you think these sites should be protected

5. Which sites do you think should be used for other purposes?

*Please state site number(s) – e.g LAA0999*

*What do you think would be the best use for these sites? Please tick*

[ ] Residential

[ ] Employment uses

[ ] Retail

[ ] Community facilities

[ ] Open space / green space

[ ] Waste

[ ] Other

*If you have answered Other, please specify*

*Please state why you think these sites would be better suited to these uses.*

6. Are there any other sites you think are suitable for the Council to consider in preparing the Local Plan Part 2?

*Please give further details on the Call for Sites form available on the Council’s website*